TY  - JOUR
AU  - Campbell, Benjamin
AU  - Heitner, Jesse
AU  - Amos Mwelelo, Peter
AU  - Fogel, Alexis
AU  - Mujumdar, Vaidehi
AU  - Adams, Lisa V
AU  - Boniface, Respicious
AU  - Su, Yanfang
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/4/7
TI  - Impact of SMS Text Messaging Reminders on Helmet Use Among Motorcycle Drivers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Randomized Controlled Trial
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e27387
VL  - 24
IS  - 4
KW  - road traffic injury
KW  - behavior change
KW  - SMS reminders
KW  - mobile health
KW  - vehicle safety
KW  - mHealth
KW  - SMS
KW  - traffic injuries
KW  - transportation
KW  - public transportation
KW  - safety
KW  - automotive
KW  - automotive safety
AB  - Background: Road traffic injury is a pressing public health issue in Tanzania. Increasing helmet use among motorcycle drivers can help reduce the burden due to road traffic injuries in the country. Helmet adherence can be supported through mobile health interventions. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the comparative impact of two different types of SMS text messaging reminders on motorcycle helmet use. Methods: Participants were 391 commercial motorcycle taxi drivers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants were randomized into three groups, each receiving a different set of messages: (1) social norming messages aimed at emphasizing society’s positive stance on helmet wearing, (2) fear appeal messages that emphasized the dangers of riding without a helmet, and (3) control group messages, which included basic road safety messages unrelated to helmet use. Every participant received the control messages. Adherence to helmet use was evaluated by self-report through surveys conducted at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. Results: At 6 weeks, the odds of self-reporting consistent helmet use were estimated to be 1.58 times higher in the social norming group than in the control group (P=.04), though this difference was not significant after accounting for multiple testing. There was little difference between fear appeal and control group recipients (odds ratio 1.03, P=.47). Subgroup analysis suggests that both fear appeal and social norming message types might have been associated with increased helmet use among participants who did not consistently wear helmets at baseline (odds ratio 1.66 and odds ratio 1.84, respectively), but this was not significant (P=.11 and P=.07, respectively). Among those who were consistent wearers at baseline, the social norming messages performed better than the fear appeal messages, and this difference reached traditional significance (P=.03), but was not significant after accounting for multiple testing. Conclusions: The use of SMS text messaging reminders may improve helmet use among motorcycle drivers when framed as social norming messages. Given that nearly half of the drivers in our sample did not consistently wear their helmets on every trip, strategies to increase consistent usage could greatly benefit public safety. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02120742; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02120742 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - https://www.jmir.org/2022/4/e27387
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/27387
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35389364
DO  - 10.2196/27387
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/27387
ER  -